Glycerine based jelly compositions

ABSTRACT

The disclosure describes a replacement for petroleum jelly as a base for products which is suitable for most any application for which petroleum jelly can be used. The jelly is a glycerine based composition comprising; vegetable derived glycerine and an emulsifier. The emulsifier can be any known and/or commercially available glucoside containing substance. Other suitable emulsifiers together with glycerine and essential or vegetable based oils with or without inorganic fillers may be added to impart desirable mechanical and physio-chemical properties. In addition, temperature stabilizers and stiffening agents such as waxes and other inorganic fillers including silica and clays may also be added during manufacture. The composition includes glycerine preferably present in the range of 50-95 weight %.

PRIORITY STATEMENT

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S.nonprovisional application Ser. No. 14/714,875, filed May 18, 2015,entitled “Glycerine Based Jelly Compositions”, which is continuation ofSer. No. 14/529,804, filed Oct. 31, 2014, entitled “Glycerine BasedJelly Compositions”, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 14/230,162,filed Mar. 31, 2014, entitled “Glycerine Based Jelly Compositions”,which is a continuation of Ser. No. 14/022,461, filed Sep. 10, 2013,which is a continuation of Non-Provisional application Ser. No.13/515,205 filed Jun. 11, 2012, and granted on Oct. 15, 2013 as U.S.Pat. No. 8,557,264, which was entered as a National Stage filingapplication under 35 USC 371 from PCT/US 2010/059634 filed Dec. 9, 2010,both entitled “Glycerine Based Jelly Compositions”, which is a PCTfiling of and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from ProvisionalApplication No. 61/ 285,298 filed Dec. 10, 2009 entitled “GlycerineBased Jelly Compositions Incorporating Additives” and ProvisionalApplication No. 61/345,383filed May 17, 2010 entitled “Glycerine BasedJelly Compositions Incorporating Additives”

The following patent and patent applications are also herebyincorporated by reference and where appropriate also provide priorityunder 35 USC 120 regarding any necessary SPF formulations to be usedtogether with the jelly compositions of the present disclosure;

U.S Pat. No. 6,866,841 entitled “Non-endocrine disrupting cytoprotectiveUV radiation resistant substance”

PCT Application No. US2007/005672 filed May 5, 2007 entitled “SunscreenCompositions”

U.S. application Ser. No. 11/807,192 filed May 25, 2007 entitled “HighSPF Transparent or Transluscent Naturally Derived, Cytoprotective, UVResistant Compostions”

U.S. application Ser. No. 11/805,710 filed Aug. 18, 2007 entitled“Non-Endocrine Disrupting Cytoprotective, UV Radiation ResistantSunblock Compositions”

U.S application Ser. No. 12/074,906, filed Mar. 7, 2008 entitled “SPFCompositions”

U.S application Ser. No. 12/074,907 filed Mar. 7, 2008 entitled“Sunblock Formulations”

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/077,369 field Mar. 19, 2009entitled” High SPF Transparent or Translucent, Cytoprptective,Biodegradable, “UV Radiation Resistant Compositions”

U.S. Application No. 61/281,695 entitled “All Natural SPF Boosting ZincOxide Complex” filed Nov. 20, 2009

U.S. Application No. 61/281,694 entitled “Broad Spectrum UVA StableNon-Toxic, Zinc Oxide Complex” filed Nov. 20, 2009

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a petroleum-free jelly and a field ofproducts suitable for application to the skin and, in particular, to areplacement for petroleum jelly as a base for many existing products.Additional products that are being emphasized in this continuationapplication include food grease products.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Products which are applied to the skin such as cosmetics or lotionsoften use petroleum jelly as a base. Petroleum jelly is inexpensive,abundant, and can be smoothly applied to the skin. However, petroleumjelly has a number of disadvantages. In particular, petroleum jelly is apetroleum based product which may cause dermatitis on the skin and canbe toxic. Also of rather recent importance to more people is the factthat they consider petroleum based products objectionable.

In recent years, more skin care products have become available whichutilize natural oils and ingredients in place of petroleum jelly.Examples of such products are disclosed in Canadian Patent 1,244,350issued Nov. 8, 1988 for a skin care and shaving composition; Canadianpatent application 2,161,285 published Apr. 26, 1996 disclosing acosmetic composition; and Canadian Patent Application 2,130,450published Sep. 2, 1993 disclosing insect repellent. Each of thesereferences is directed towards products adapted for application to theskin and incorporate natural oils. However, these natural oils are notsuitable as a general replacement for petroleum jelly but rather aredisclosed in specific mixtures in products applied to skin. Theseproducts also do not overcome the disadvantages of a petroleum jellybase such as a low melting temperature or are based on hydrogenated oilswhich congeal at room temperature into a jelly like substance but whichwhen heated or when reaching above average room temperatures may resultin reduced shelf life as well as objectionable feel and odor.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,361 issued Oct. 21, 1997 and discloses a solid orpasty make-up composition. The composition is comprised of a fatty phaseand a pulverulent phase. The fatty phase is 20-70% by weight of thetotal weight of the composition. The pulverulent phase is a light powderwhich is present in an amount of 5-30% by weight of the totalcomposition. This patent is directed towards a process for preparing themake-up composition. In this process, the powder is used for theprocessing and pressing of the composition and reacts with the otheringredients in the make-up to form a final product. The fatty phase mayincorporate a vegetable oil. This composition provides a product with animproved feel on application but it does not provide for a product witha raised melting point or a product which will not separate out onheating.

There therefore is a need for a general replacement for petroleum jellyas a base for products for application to skin which is non-petroleumbased as well as a jelly which is primarily or completely oil-free andalso non-toxic but maintains the physical and aesthetic attributes ofpetroleum jelly. Here, the definition of a toxic substance is anysubstance which kills cells on contact and/or any endocrine disruptingsubstance as tested using the LUMI-CELL® techniques perfected by Dr.George Clark, director of Xenobiotics in Durham, N.C. It is alsoadvantageous and a subject of the present disclosure to provide anoil-free, substantially oil-free, or even oil containing jelly thatmeets all Ecocert® certifications and approvals.

There is also a need for a replacement for petroleum jelly suitable foruse in a variety of products, including lubrication enhancers,anti-corrosive agents, as well as general purpose manufacturing andhousehold products such that providing a jelly-like petroleum freesubstance creates an improved or enhanced product or handling of theproduct. Further, there is a need for a replacement for petroleum jelly,the replacement being derived from natural ingredients such as plantproducts that does not require vegetable oils, especially hydrogenatedvegetable oils and is derived from vegetable based glycerine and one ormore vegetable derived emulsifiers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure describes a replacement for petroleum jelly as abase for products suitable for essentially any application for whichpetroleum jelly can be used. The present application describes a jellyprimarily comprised of vegetable derived glycerine with one or more avegetable derived glucoside-based emulsifier. Other suitable emulsifierstogether with glycerine and essential or vegetable based oils with orwithout inorganic fillers may also be added to the jelly to impartfragrance, color, UVA and UVB sun protection factor, immuno-enhancingaromatherapeutics, as well as free radical scavenging constituents. Inaddition, temperature stabilizers and stiffening agents such as waxesand other inorganic fillers including silica and clays are to be addedas required. The glycerine is preferably present in the range of 50-95%and more preferably 90% and most preferably 92.5% with 7.5% of anemulsifier such as a polyglucoside and in particular cetearyl glucoside.Other ingredients which may be added include vitamins and provitamins,carotenoids, aloe vera gel or aloe vera juice.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome thedisadvantages described in the prior art and to provide a replacementfor petroleum jelly as the base in products suitable for application tothe skin, where the replacement jelly is predominantly comprised ofglycerine.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an alternativeto petroleum jelly composition which is oil free and also may have ahigher melting point than petroleum jelly.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a compositionwhich incorporates essential (primarily steam processed) oils, naturalwaxes, inorganic fillers, carotenoids, anti-oxidants, free radicalscavengers, and Ecocert® approved emulsifiers and emollients includingaloe vera gel and juice.

Thus, therefore, is provided an oil-free vegetable derived glycerinebase for a product suitable for application to skin or a lubricantcomposition, said base comprising vegetable oil and silica.

Use of the base oil-free jelly with active sunscreen and sunblockingagents is also an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Yet a further embodiment is related to the fact that it has been foundthat some of the glycerine/emulsifier combinations that have beenformulated without any additives have a tendency to provide a “sticky”feel after application to the skin. There are several combinations ofthe jelly which have been developed which ameliorate or eliminate thissticky feel. Specifically, the use of higher speed mixing allows for airto become incorporated into the formulations and causes some “foaming”of the composition during heating, which, when cooled provides a lowerdensity, air or gas-filled product. This composition reduces and/oreliminates the stickiness associated with products which do notincorporate air. The air or inert gases could be added by forcing thegas into the mixture while slowly agitating the composition, therebycontrolling the amount of gas added, resulting in a similar “foamed”composition.

Yet another embodiment that also involves reducing the sticky feel ofthe glycerine/emulsifier composition of the present application is toincorporate various additives including starches from various plantssuch as arrowroot and corn, inorganic salts including calcium,magnesium, zinc, titanium and other inorganic metals and metal oxides,clays, including igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic types as well asinorganic polymers. All inorganic particles may be added in either amicronized or even nanosized particle form (as powders or otherwise) tothe glycerine/emulsifier composition in various weight percent ranges toallow for proper incorporation of these additives. Proper incorporation,in this instant, refers to the making of a useful, less sticky jelly orgelled composition that provides additional chemical and/orphysic-chemical and/or physic-mechanical attributes. The use ofarrowroot and/or talc (up to 10 percent by weight of the totalcomposition) in combination with the 85 weight percent glycerine and 15weight percent cetearyl glucoside compound, resulted in a foamed whiteappearing solid jelled substance with greatly reduced stickiness.

An additional embodiment includes use of additional inorganic andorganic additives in the glycerine/emulsifier composition described inthe present application allows for imparting most other requiredproperties for a gel including; flame retardance, UV resistance,physio-mechanical strength and better bonding characteristics useful forany materials of construction, ointments for medicinal and otherpurposes, lubrication for both biological and mechanical needs, and as acarrier for food and/or pharmaceutical grade products.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure describes a replacement for petroleum jelly as abase for products suitable for most any application for which petroleumjelly can be used. It is comprised primarily of vegetable derivedglycerine and a vegetable derived glucoside-based emulsifier. Othersuitable emulsifiers together with glycerine and essential or vegetablebased oils with or without inorganic fillers may also be added to thejelly to impart fragrance, color, UVA and UVB sun protection factor,immuno-enhancing aromatherapeutics, as well as free radical scavengingconstituents. In addition, temperature stabilizers and stiffening agentssuch as waxes and other inorganic fillers including silica and clays maybe added as required. The glycerine is preferably present in the rangeof 50-95% and most preferably 90%. Other ingredients which may be addedinclude vitamins and provitamins, carotenoids, aloe vera gel or aloevera juice.

Additional ingredients may be added to the present invention to improveits suitability as a base for a skin care product. Other preferredingredients which may optionally be added to the present disclosureinclude suitable vegetable oils including all vegetable oils but notincluding hydrogenated vegetables oils. These vegetable oils may beselected from, but are not limited to, canola oil, sunflower oil,soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, olive oil, wheat germ oil, borageoil, evening primrose oil, black currant oil, linseed oil, peanut oil,raspberry seed oil, carrot oil, avocado oil, and safflower oil.

The use of silica present in the composition of the present disclosureis in a powder form and may be silica powder or silicone dioxide powder.In particular, untreated fumed silica powder may also be used.Preferably, the average particle length is 0.2 to 0.3 microns. Theprimary use of the silica is to impart stiffness and thermal stability.

Vitamin E may be included in the oil-free glycerine and emulsifier baseof the present disclosure. It is preferably present in an amount in therange of 0 to 1% of the total weight of the composition. Morepreferably, it is present in an amount of approximately 0.1% by weight.Preferably, tocopherols and its derivatives are used and, morepreferably, dl-alpha-tocopherol.

Starch is a further optional ingredient in the composition of thepresent invention. It is preferably present in an amount in the range of0 to 15% by weight of the total composition. Preferably, corn starch orarrowroot powder is used and also impart stability to the oil-freejelly.

Sunscreens are preferably present in an amount in the range of 0 to 15%by weight of the total composition. The preferred amount isapproximately 7% by weight. Sunscreens include those as defined in theFDA Regulatory Book 21 CFR Part 352, 700 and 740 dated Apr. 5, 1994 .Any recognized sunscreen may be used and preferred sunscreens includeoctyl methoxycinnamate, octyl salicylate, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide,etc. The goal of the present disclosure is to incorporate non-endocrinedisrupting active sunblocking agents.

The industry currently formulates using “pre-fabricated” dispersions inthat the dispersions are purchased from a secondary source and mixed inwith existing lotions, pastes, cremes, etc. This technique is acceptableif the zinc oxide dispersion is provided in a non-endocrine disruptingsuspension.

In addition, the need for an acceptable emollient that reduces thenegative affects associated with abrasive inorganics and that alsoincludes the benefit of providing cytoprotection and healing of the skinis necessary. Allowing for the reduction of irritation or sensitizationof the skin suggests that “cold-pressed” Aloe is a useful and necessaryingredient for such a formulation.

It has also been determined that it is quite difficult, if notimpossible, for current dispersion systems for micronized TiO₂, ZnO,SiO₂ and the like to be endocrine-disruptor free. As discussed below,the endocrine disrupters in the LUMI-CELL® test technique have beenfound to kill cells. Therefore, in essence, using one of severaldefinitions of toxicity—adverse effects occurring as a result ofrepeated daily dosing of a chemical or exposure to the chemical, forpart of an organism's lifespan—the dispersions themselves are toxic. Thepresent disclosure includes the possible use of aloe, not only as anemollient, but also as a very effective dispersing agent for theinorganic micronized (and larger) sunblock active agents. High speedshearing (accomplished in a Waring blender for example), followed byhigh speed mixing (up to 2000 rpm with an IKA mechanicalstirrer—Wilmington, N.C. for example) provides a consistent, usable, andeasily blendable inorganic/organic dispersion free of any known toxicsubstances (if the aloe source and inorganic particle source is welldocumented and controlled). The dispersion is essential in providingsufficient homogeneity and SPF values with any associated non-activecream, lotion, gel, spray, etc. that is used to provide a formulationconsistent with the basis of the present disclosure.

To provide a proper SPF value, it is also necessary to enhance or boostthe SPF number using boosting agents. These also may not be endocrinedisrupters or toxic (cell-killing) or both. It is likely that manynatural oils and perhaps derivatives of other natural occurringsubstances (such as essential oils of safflower, sunflower, rice bran,eucalyptus, rosemary, peru balsam, olibanum, orange, almond, sesame,ylang ylang, jojoba, or coconut) that can provide dispersioncapabilities to enhance SPF may be determined to be free of endocrinedisrupting capabilities. It has also become known that to increase SPFvalues for both in vivo and in vitro testing, film forming propertiesare important. The following film forming agents may also be used in thepresent disclosure: wheat protein extract, silk protein, galactoarabian,marine collagen, pea extract, purcellin oil, preen oil, as well as wildmango butter and kikui nut oil, etc.

Bentonite can be used to boost SPF values as well as provide stabilityfor the jelly of the present disclosure. Colloidal Bentonite containsthe active constituent montmorillonite super-refined with demineralizedwater as a vehicle. The liquid bentonite was the first of its kind to beprocessed removing the dirt, mica and impurities leaving the activeingredient Montmorillonite in a colloidal suspension. TheMontmorillonite molecule has a shape similar to a business card with thewide surfaces negative and the edges of the card positively charged.This allows it to have many times more negative than positive charges.In addition, the very minuteness of the particles of Montmorilloniteprovides a large surface area in proportion to the volume used, thusenabling it to pick up many times its own weight in positively chargedparticles. To obtain maximum effectiveness in the human body, it must beput in a liquid colloidal-gel state. When a volcano erupts, there isoften a fine steam or mist released which contains a substance known asvolcanic ash. Bentonite is a volcanic ash. As it contains many minerals(24 to 33), it serves to mineralize the soil. Bentonite clay can bemined from veins, which are two to three feet wide and deep, but manyyards long. Natives on every continent have used volcanic ash forcenturies both internally and externally. The value of montmorillonite(the active ingredient in bentonite) lies in its ability to adsorb (notabsorb) many times its own weight and volume in an aqueous medium. Ithas a predominantly negative charge that is capable of attracting manykinds of positively charged particles. Its negative charge enables it topick up positively charged, toxic material from the alimentary canal tobe expelled in the feces. The adsorption is a rapid process and canquickly neutralize allergens before they attach themselves to bloodcells, thus preventing allergic reaction.

Aloe Vera gel serves numerous purposes in the present disclosure,including acting as a dispersant, as an emollient, boosting the SPFvalue, and improving aesthetics, and is believed by many to havehealthful benefits. For medicinal purposes, aloe vera is most commonlyused externally to treat various skin conditions, and burns. Not onlydoes it soothe the skin, ease pain and reduce inflammation, studies havebeen done to show that using aloe as a topical treatment for burns willhelp speed up the healing recovery process. Many cosmetic companies arenow adding this plant to products including makeup, soaps, sunscreens,shampoos and lotions, as well as any product that is created to soothe,protect and moisturize the skin. This is due partially to the fact thataloe extract is full of vitamins, nutrients and minerals.

The compositions of this disclosure may, include one or more of a selectgroup of anionic emulsifiers. In particular, salts of certain fattyacids are useful in the formulations of this disclosure, preferablysalts of saturated fatty acids and/or salts of straight-chain fattyacids. Alkali metal salts, alkali earth metal salts and amine salts aremore preferable for use in the compositions of this disclosure. Forexample, stearic acid and its salts are useful as emulsifiers in thecompositions of this disclosure, while the use of isostearate saltstends to produce a composition which is not very efficient in the use ofsunscreen. Likewise, oleate salts are not useful as they are unsaturatedand do not result in efficient sunscreen compositions. Sodium borate isan example of a preferred salt. The family of glucoside basedemulsifiers, when mixed with glycerine, provides a homogenous jelly withan appearance and physical properties very close to that of petroleumjelly.

The emulsifiers should be present in the compositions of this disclosurein an amount from about 0.01 to about 10%, more preferably 0.1 to about7% and most preferably from about 0.5 to about 7.5%. There may beadditional emulsifiers present in the compositions of this disclosure,including but not limited to a combination of cetearyl glucoside andcetearyl alcohol. However, at least one emulsifier should be present inorder to achieve the products of this disclosure. The fatty acid saltemulsifiers may be added to the composition as the salts, or the saltmay be formed in situ.

Phosphatidyl-choline (PC), a phospholipid also known as lecithin andPhosChol, can also be used as a natural dispersant and/or emulsifier. Itis the major component of a phosphatide fraction which may be isolatedfrom either egg yolk or soy beans from which it is mechanically orchemically extracted using hexane. It is commercially available in highpurity as a food supplement and for medical uses. PC is regarded as awell tolerated and non-toxic surfactant. It is approved by the UnitedStates Food and Drug Administration for human consumption with thestatus “Generally Recognized as Safe”. Lecithin is an integral part ofcell membranes, and can be totally metabolized, so it is virtuallynon-toxic to humans. Other emulsifiers can only be excreted via thekidneys. Some commercially available PC products are Phospholipon 90G®and Phospholipon 85G®, distributed by the American Lecithin Company ofOxford CT. PC can be dispersed into an oil, glycerin, aloe vera, orotherwise suitable solvent before being added into the presentformulations of the present disclosure as an emulsifier or dispersant.

A liposome is a spherical vesicle with a membrane composed of aphospholipid bilayer used to deliver drugs or genetic material into acell. Liposomes can be composed of naturally-derived phospholipids withmixed lipid chains (like egg phosphatidyl-ethanolamine), or of purecomponents like DOPE (dioleolylphosphatidylethanolamine). The lipidbilayer can fuse with other bilayers (e.g., the cell membrane), thusdelivering the liposome contents. By making liposomes in a solution ofDNA or drugs, (which would normally be unable to diffuse through themembrane), they can be (indiscriminately) delivered past the lipidbilayer.

Liposomes can be created by sonicating phospholipids in water. Low shearrates create multilamellar liposomes, which have many layers like anonion. Continued high-shear sonication tends to form smaller unilamellarliposomes. In this technique, the liposome contents are the same as thecontents of the aqueous phase. Liposomes can be used as emulsifiers inthe same manner as the phospholipids discussed above.

Humectants can form an important part of the present disclosure. Themain purpose of any cream is to keep the skin moist. Many conventionalcreams form a suffocating film on the skin to prevent moisture loss.Even as natural humectant, glycerin, actually attracts water from theair and surrounding tissue. It keeps the skin moist as long as there issufficient moisture in the air. In a dry climate it actually drawsmoisture from the skin. Collagen, elastin, panthenol (pro-vitamin B5)and keratin enjoy some popularity as humectants. Another example isPepha®-Nutrix, a product of Pentapharm Ltd of Basel, Switzerland.

Natural phospholipids, or lecithin, are also an excellent humectant. Animportant benefit of phospholipids is that they are hygroscopic (attractwater from the surrounding air) and hold water where an increased levelof hydration is needed. Therefore, phospholipids increase the hydrationlevels of the skin without being occlusive (forming a film to preventwater loss, and preventing normal cellular function).

A carrier oil is useful in the compositions of this disclosure. Thereare a range of different carrier oils each with their own individualproperties and suitability towards different treatments in aromatherapy.The carrier oil may be selected from the group of essential oils orother known non-endocrine disrupter esters. Other carriers includecastor oil, avocado oil, broccoli seed oil, keratin, and micronized orcolloidal bentonite.

Preferably, the carrier oil which is more preferably an essential oil,should be present in the composition in an amount of between about 0.1%and about 10%. More preferably, it should be present in the amount ofbetween about 1% and about 5%. Most preferably, it should be present inthe amount of between about 2% and about 4%. All essential oils arenon-endocrine disrupting. Examples of essential oils include oils ofjojoba, rice bran, sesame, safflower, almond, sweet almond, eucalyptus,sunflower, peru balsam, rosemary, olibanum, orange, sunflower, ylangylang, apricot kernel, avocado, borage, cocoa butter, evening primrose,grapeseed, hazelnut, kukui, macadamia nut, olive, peanut, pecan, rosehip, bergamot, jasmine, neroli, patchouli, petitgrain, rose, vetiver,chamomile, mandarin, lavender, grapefruit, cypress, bay laurel,frankincense, clary sage, ginger, helichrysum, lemon, sandalwood, basil,black pepper, peppermint, geranium, wintergreen, thyme, tea tree,tangerine, spearmint, common sage, rosewood, pine, patchouli, oregano,nutmeg, myrrh, melaleuca, marjoram, manuka, lemon grass, lavender,juniper, ginger, cumin, clove, camphor, bay leaf, anise, allspice, andhyssop.

A number of the above mentioned essential oils, including jojoba andavocado, can be utilized in the present formulations as emollients. Anumber of the above mentioned essential oils, including rosemary andfrankincense, can be also be utilized for their aromatherapeuticproperties, thus being incorporated as a fragrance.

A third element may also be present in the compositions of thisdisclosure is an inorganic sunscreen compound, such as titanium dioxide,zinc oxide or combinations thereof. Possible other inorganics includethe use of fused or fumed silica or even silicon dioxide. Preferably,titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, silica, silicon dioxide, or cosmeticmicrospheres should be used having a primary particle size of less thanabout 300 nm in diameter. It should be present in the composition in theamount of from about 2% to about 25%. More preferably, it should bepresent in the amount of from about 2% to about 15%. The inorganicsunscreen compound should be oil or water dispersible, and may bepresent with or without surface coating.

The ratio of titanium dioxide or zinc oxide to the weight of the carrieroil and the emollient combined should be from about 0.0:1 to about 1:1 .More preferably, the ratio should be between about 0.25:1 and 2:3, andmost preferably 0.33:1.

In the case where salts of fatty acids are used care should be taken tokeep the pH of the compositions of this disclosure at a level aboveabout 5, more preferably, above about 5.5. Maintaining the pH at thislevel will ensure that these anionic emulsifiers remain in the saltform, which is important in retaining the stability and efficacy of thecomposition.

Additionally, the usual elements of a modern sunscreen emulsion systemmay be necessary such as a polymeric thickener/stabilizer, one or moreadditional emollient oils, microbial preservatives, waterproofingagents, antioxidants, fragrance, humectant, and of course the watervehicle may all be utilized using careful selection or restraint basedon the constraints of providing a non-endocrine disruptingimmuno-enhancing composition.

The base formulation of this disclosure may also be used as carriercompositions for active topical agents having dermatological effects,including depigmentation agents, anti-aging ingredients, anti-fungalagents, anti-microbial agents, insect repellents and the like. Forexample, depigmentation agents can include magnesium ascorbyl phosphateor hydroquinone but only used in the final composition if these agentsare shown not to be endocrine disrupters. Anti-aging agents can includeretinoid compounds and alpha-hydroxy acids again only if these agentsare shown not to be endocrine disrupters. Anti-fungal agents that can beincluded in the compositions of this disclosure include azole compoundsincluding ketoconazole and the like again only if these agents are shownnot to be endocrine disrupters. Anti-microbial agents include triclosan,an agent regarding cytotoxicity or endocrine disruption function. Insectrepellant fragrances can be included in the compositions of thisdisclosure again only if these agents are shown not to be endocrinedisrupters. Other products known to those of ordinary skill in the artmay be delivered to the skin using the compositions of this disclosure.

The compositions of this disclosure would then have minimally amulti-action capability, as they would contain both sunscreen agents andother actives for protecting, treating, and enhancing theimmuno-responsive nature of the skin.

The compositions of this disclosure can be incorporated into variouscosmetic and personal care products such as hand and body lotions, oils,ointments, lip balm products, facial cosmetics and the like.

One of the major challenges in providing the composition of the presentdisclosure is to provide a non-toxic, non-endocrine disrupting,immuno-enhancing high (15 or greater) SPF formulation that can bereadily achieved in a manufacturing environment for a reasonable cost.The use of aloe as both an emollient and a surfactant/dispersion agenttogether with either micronized ZnO, titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide,fluoropolymers, silica, etc. (inorganic or acceptable organic sun-blockagents) in the manner outlined above is unique and novel. The additionof SPF boosting agents that are neither toxic nor endocrine disruptersis also unique to this disclosure and has heretofore not been seriouslyconsidered or explored.

The well known and commercially available “SPF boosters” have almostwithout exception proven to be toxic or endocrine disrupters or both andthe present disclosure includes a scientifically accepted and peerreviewed method to assure the use of only SPF boosters that are neithertoxic nor endocrine disrupters. The use of phospholipids or liposomesdescribed above may also provided the needed oil-water dispersion andthus boost SPF.

The use of green tea extract may be effective in reducing sunburn. Greentea is a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals from UVradiation and helps protect skin cells by its photoprotective effect onhuman skin and its polyphenolic antioxidant contents. Green teaprotection works in the cell after exposure to ultraviolet rays. Studiessuggest it causes abnormal cells to kill themselves, a type ofprogrammed cell suicide that prevents the development of abnormalgrowths. Green tea inhibits UVB-induced erythema response in the skin(redness reaction). At the same time it supports the production ofmelanin, the skin's own natural sunburn protection. Thus green tea helpsreduce the risk of sunburn and boosts SPF.

Tocopherol, or Vitamin E oil, is a fat-soluble vitamin in eight formsthat is an important antioxidant. Vitamin E is often used in skin creamsand lotions because it is believed to play a role in encouraging skinhealing and reducing scarring after injuries such as burns. Naturalvitamin E exists in eight different forms or isomers, four tocopherolsand four tocotrienols. All isomers have a chromanol ring, with ahydroxyl group which can donate a hydrogen atom to reduce free radicalsand a hydrophobic side chain which allows for penetration intobiological membranes. There is an alpha, beta, gamma and delta form ofboth the tocopherols and tocotrienols, determined by the number ofmethyl groups on the chromanol ring. Each form has its own biologicalactivity, the measure of potency or functional use in the body. For thepresent disclosure, the most stable forms of vitamin E are desired.

Rosehip, also called the rose haw, is the pomaceous fruit of the roseplant and a powerful antioxidant. It is typically red to orange but maybe dark purple to black in some species. Particularly high in vitamin C,with about 1700-2000 mg per 100 g in the dried product, it is one of therichest plant sources of the vitamin. It also contains vitamins A, D andE, and antioxidant flavonoids. Rosehip can be used as an emollient inthe present disclosure. The use of vitamin C (ascorbic acid or otheravailable forms of Vitamin C) in sunscreen or sunblock formulationsshould be in a stabilized form such as Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate. Forthe present disclosure and associated formulations, the most stable formof Vitamin C can be incorporated.

Keratins may also provide an SPF boost to the present compositions.Keratins are a family of fibrous structural proteins; tough andinsoluble, they form the hard but non-mineralized structures found inreptiles, birds and mammals. They are rivaled in biological toughnessonly by chitin, a cellulose-like polymer of glucosamine and the mainconstituent of the exoskeletons of arthropods. The properties which makestructural proteins like keratins useful depend on their supermolecularaggregation. These depend on the properties of the individualpolypeptide strands, which depend in turn on their amino acidcomposition and sequence. The α-helix and β-sheet motifs, and disulfidebridges, are crucial to the conformations of globular, functionalproteins like enzymes, many of which operate semi-independently, butthey take on a completely dominant role in the architecture andaggregation of keratins. Keratins contain a high proportion of thesmallest of the 20 amino acids, glycine, whose “side group” is a singlehydrogen atom; also the next smallest, alanine, with a small anduncharged methyl group. In the case of β-sheets, this allowssterically-unhindered hydrogen bonding between the amino and carboxylgroups of peptide bonds on adjacent protein chains, facilitating theirclose alignment and strong binding. Fibrous keratin molecules can twistaround each other to form helical intermediate filaments. In additionthe family of carotenoids (as anti-oxidants) may also be added to thecomposition of the present disclosure.

Sucrose stearate is usually a white or light brown block or powder, withlittle or no smell and no taste. It is an exceptionally mild emulsifierderived from sugar and coconut or palm oil. Sucrose stearate is made bycombining sugar with Stearic Acid. Cane sugar is a sweetening agent andfood which can act as a preservative and antioxidant, and stearic acidis a natural fatty acid derived from coconut or palm oil. Because it ismade from vegetable sources it is completely biodegradable. Onecommercially available form of sucrose stearate is Crodesta® F-160,manufactured by Croda of Yorkshire, England.

Lanolin is a thick natural moisturizer to soothe and protect skin. It isderived primarily from the oil glands in sheep's wool, also known aswool oil, wool wax, wool fat, or wool grease. Wool fat is a mixture ofmany different chemical compounds, including cholesterol and the estersderived from ‘fatty’ acids containing 18 to 26 carbon atoms. Lanolin isused in many skin formulas to prevent possible irritation from otheroils. It functions as a salve and an emollient by sealing in your body'smoisture, and is a natural water repellant. Lanolin forms an emulsionwith water that's easily absorbed by the skin, softening it andpreventing it from frying and cracking It is used for dry skin, sunburn,and windburn, and may also boost SPF.

A number of oils are used in commercial sunblocks as SPF boosters. Suchoils may be effective at boosting SPF on their own in some cases, or incombination with other oils in other cases.

Among these oils are sunflower oil, safflower oil, almond oil, rice branoil, eucalyptus oil, sesame oil, orange oil, jojoba oil, rosemary oil,peru balsam oil, grape seed oil, pomegranate seed oil, raspberry seedoil etc. Certain waxes may also have a positive SPF effect, includingbeeswax, orange wax, synthetic waxes and the like.

Beeswax is a product from a beehive. Beeswax is secreted by honeybees ofa certain age in the form of thin scales. It is a tough wax formed froma mixture of several compounds; its main components are palmitate,palmitoleate, hydroxypalmitate and oleate esters of long-chain (30-32carbons) aliphatic alcohols, with the ratio of triacontanylpalmitateCH₃(CH₂)₂₉O—CO—(CH₂)₁₄CH₃ to cerotic acid CH₃(CH₂)₂₄COOH, the twoprincipal components, in a ratio of 6:1. Beeswax is used commercially tomake fine candles, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals including bone wax(cosmetics and pharmaceuticals account for 60% of total consumption), inpolishing materials (particularly shoe polish), as a component ofmodeling waxes, and in a variety of other products. For the presentdisclosure, the use of Hydroxyoctacosanyl hydroxystearate can not beused as a beeswax substitute as a consistency regulator and emulsionstabilizer. Japan wax is another substitute that may not be used.Beeswax's primary use in the present disclosure is to increase thewater-resistant capabilities of the composition. The beeswax can also beimpregnated with sun-block materials (micronized zinc oxide and titaniumdioxide, etc.) in order to prevent these materials from being easilywashed away during use.

Skin care products do not last forever. Just like food, all natural skincare products will eventually deteriorate. Chemical preservatives aregenerally used in the industry because they are much cheaper than, andextend the shelf life of the product more than, natural alternatives.The preferred preservative in the present disclosure is Biovert®, aproduct of Arch Chemicals®. Biovert® is a system of two linkedpreparations, which by themselves do not offer antimicrobial efficacy,but together offer anti-microbial efficacy. Biovert® mimics a naturallyoccurring antimicrobial-antioxidant protection system. When the two-partsystem is combined, a cascade of linked reactions takes place togenerate antimicrobial products in situ. The cascade is initiated by theaction of the glucose oxidase enzyme in the presence of its substrate(glucose) and oxygen. This generates H₂O₂, which is used by thelactoperoxidase to catalyze the oxidation of I⁻ and SCN⁻ anions, forminghypoiodite and hypothiocyanate which have antimicrobial activity.

The result is rapid microbial cell death. Other natural preservativesinclude tea tree and thyme essential oils, grapefruit seed extract, andD-alpha Tocopherol Acetate (Vitamin E).

The composition of the present invention may be used as a replacementfor petroleum jelly or as a base for other products for application tothe skin including SPF products. It is suitable for use in any petroleumjelly-based product and may be substituted for the petroleum jelly basein the product. It may also be used as a replacement for petroleum jellyin lubricants, anti-corrosion products, and for any other conventionaluses known for petroleum jelly.

Examples of the base compositions and method of making such for thepresent invention are provided hereafter along with an example of a skincare product utilizing the composition of the present invention as abase. These examples are illustrative only and are not intended to belimiting.

EXAMPLES Example 1

In a base of vegetable glycerine (e.g. 1000 ml.) after heating theglycerine to 70 dgrees centigrade and stirring, add at least 7.5%cetearyl glucoside (such as TEGO CARE® CG 90 from Evonik). Continuestirring and/or homogenize (by any means) until the cetearyl glucosidecompletely disappears (becomes transparent) in the glycerine base. Thenlet cool to room temperature, which will cause gelation, and to preventoxidation, cover or seal in an appropriate container. The addition ofvitamin E and waxes to stabilize and prevent oxidation of the resultingoil-free jelly is optional. Addition should occur while the solution isstill hot and mixing is ongoing. Addition of all the other constituentslisted above may be added as required and specified by the user. Oilsmay be optionally added as well.

Example 2

This example relates to the use of the oil-free jelly base to be used inproducts such as that outlined in Example 1 . In this example, the jellyserves as one of two phases (Phase B) that are mixed together in ahomogeneous manner to create an SPF product, moisturizer, cosmetic, etc.The resultant product can be a lip balm, cream, lotion or spraydepending on the viscosity and constituents of Phase A. For example,Phase A is comprised of the following weight percent of constituents;arginine added and dissolved in water (5%) to which phosphatidyl cholineis added (2%) with aloe vera gel (2%), and then subsequent mixing withglycerine (83%). Next, carrot oil (3%), jojoba oil (2%), olive oil (2%),as well as orange wax and beeswax (2%) with sodium borate (0.5%) aremixed all at 70 degrees centigrade to ensure homogeneity. Phase A canthen accept a zinc oxide dispersion—Phase C in this case—(dispersed inglycerine or any suitable Ecocert® approved emulsifier) of up to 50weight percent which will impart SPF properties. It is preferable to mixPhase A and Phase B together at a ration of 10-30:90-70 weight percentbefore adding Phase C. Mixing Phase A and B at various ratios willresult in varying viscosities of the final solution (product). One ofthe resulting solutions has the consistency of a creamy off-whitecolored lotion which may or may not include the zinc oxide dispersionrequired to impart SPF properties.

Example 3

In a base of vegetable glycerine (e.g. 1000 mL) after heating theglycerine to 70 degrees centigrade and stirring, add at least 12 weightpercent cetearyl glucoside (such as TEGO CARE® CG 90 from Evonik).Continue stirring and agitating purposely allowing for air or inertgases (which could be bubbled in during stirring) to enter the vesseluntil the cetearyl glucoside completely disappears (becomes transparent)in the glycerine base. Prior to cooling, an additional 5-15 weightpercent of either talc or starch such as corn or arrowroot may also beadded. The resultant solution is then allowed to cool to roomtemperature, which will cause gelation, and to prevent oxidation, coveror seal in an appropriate container. The gelled product will include asignificantly greater amount of air or gas and therefore exhibits a muchlower overall density than that of resulting product of Example 1 .Additionally, the resultant product is “fluffy” and therefore also less“sticky” when applied to the skin. The addition of vitamin E and waxesto stabilize and prevent oxidation of the resulting oil-free jelly isoptional. Addition should occur while the solution is still hot andmixing is ongoing. Addition of all the other constituents listed abovemay be added as required and specified by the user. Oils may beoptionally added as well.

In addition, the oil-free jellies described and comprised of glycerineand cetearyl glucoside, or any of the other edible emulsifiers, arethemselves edible (in that the active ingredients are FDA food gradeingredients).

The above-described embodiments of the present invention are meant to beillustrative of preferred embodiments of the present invention and arenot intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Variousmodifications, which would be readily apparent to one skilled in theart, are intended to be within the scope of the present invention. Theonly limitations to the scope of the present invention are set out inthe following appended claims.

We claim:
 1. A glycerine based jelly oil-free composition comprising;vegetable derived glycerine and an emulsifier, wherein said emulsifieris any known and /or commercially available glucoside containingemulsifier that also comprises temperature stabilizers and stiffeningagents wherein said composition is a carrier for food and/orpharmaceutical grade products wherein said jelly comprises at least 80percent by weight of glycerine and said emulsifier comprises no morethan 20 percent by weight of said jelly composition, and wherein saidjelly further comprises a combination of additives selected from thegroup consisting of clays, polymers, starches, salts, metal oxides, andlubrication enhancers.
 2. The jelly composition of claim 1, wherein saidcombination of additives impart anti-corrosivity to said food and/orpharmaceutical grade products.
 3. The jelly composition of claim 1,wherein said lubrication enhancers are selected from the groupconsisting of waxes and inorganic fillers.
 4. The jelly composition ofclaim 1, wherein said combination of additives impart physio-mechanicalstrength and improved handling to said food and/or pharmaceutical gradeproducts.
 5. The jelly composition of claim 1, wherein said compositionalso includes a higher melting point than petroleum jelly.
 6. The jellycomposition of claim 4, wherein said composition is in contact with saidfood and/or pharmaceutical grade products.
 7. The jelly composition ofclaim 1, wherein said emulsifier is a phospholipid.
 8. The jellycomposition of claim 1, wherein said emulsifier is a phospholipid and aglucoside.
 9. The jelly composition of claim 1, wherein said emulsifieris a phosphatidyl choline.
 10. The jelly composition of claim 1, whereinsaid jelly is a foamed gel composition wherein the foamed portion ofsaid jelly is an amount such that said foamed gel is formed according tothe weight percentage of singularly or a combination of either air or aninert gas added to said jelly to create said foamed gel composition. 11.The jelly composition of claim 1, wherein said jelly wherein said jellyfurther contains an additive selected from the group consisting of:vitamin E, additional vitamins and provitamins, aloe vera gel or aloevera juice, bees wax, orange wax, and carnauba wax wherein said vitaminE, additional vitamins and provitamins, aloe vera gel or aloe verajuice, bees wax, orange wax, and carnauba wax are present in quantitiesthat impart stiffness to said jelly.
 12. A method for making a glycerinebased oil-free jelly composition according to claim 1, comprisingheating said glycerine to about 70 degrees Centigrade; mixing saidglycerine with said emulsifier until said emulsifier is no longervisible in the mixed solution; and cooling said mixed solution to roomtemperature wherein said mixed solution congeals, thereby providing saidjelly composition.